Roasted Red Beet Hummus

You don’t have to be a fan of beets to thoroughly enjoy this deliciously addicting twist on hummus. Spread it on crackers, dollop it on toast, serve it with chicken, and use it as a dip for veggies. It’s simple to make and requires little time on your part. This beautiful pink hummus (that has zero artificial colors) is so fresh and flavorful because it’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients like beets, chickpeas, and tahini.

 I always do this to myself. I feel a genuine sense of shock when I realize how much better homemade foods are. Especially dishes made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. This dish is incredibly healthy, simple, and truly delicious. My kids devoured it. My husband devoured it. And I, the non-beet lover (honestly, I don’t even like them), devoured it. It makes a TON, and leftovers are everything to me. Especially when they're as delicious as this dish!

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, grains, wheat, 

refined oils, refined sugars, peanuts, and artificial flavors.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups beets, peeled, cooked, and sliced (see notes)
• 1 (15 oz.) can cooked garbanzo (chickpea) beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup tahini
• 3 cloves garlic
• zest of 2 lemons
• juice of 2½ lemons
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

  

Makes 16 servings (about 4 cups)

1 serving is ¼ cup hummus

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with non-stick spray.

2. Layer sliced beets on the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and roast in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. Once beets are cool, put them, along with the beans, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and cumin, in a food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times during this step.

4. With the processor on, slowly drizzle in all of the olive oil. Blend until completely smooth.

5. Spoon hummus into serving dish. Top with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, chopped parsley, and sunflower seeds, if desired.

Notes

• I found peeled and cooked organic beets at Costco. This was a huge timesaver. If you’re pressed for time, look in your grocery store for pre-peeled and cooked beets.